hello August! hello gang!!
back later...my running shoes await me.

__________________
Shelley


Visit Kassie's Korner


"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
--Antoine de Saint Exupery

I’m SOONER born,
And SOONER bred,
And when I die,
I’ll be SOONER dead!
GO SOONERS!
I be ready for some football!

One little walker-runner Dude for every 10 miles!

Hello Everyone! Back late last night from our backwoods adventure. I'll catch up with the July posts later, and just dive back in to let you know I'm alive and well.

The weather was cold (in the 60s), windy, and rainy much of the time. However, we managed to find a window of sailing weather most days, and tried out the beautiful boat on a small lake with very tricky winds. We really honed our sailing skills.

I read a huge stack of books--novels, non-fiction, the whole lot. The unplugged life is very peaceful, and I'd turn around and go back there in a heartbeat. I'm thinking of shopping for a small kayak to take up there next year. I wanted "personal transportation" to get off the island and go walking on the road around the lake.

How did it get to be August already?? Judy, I expect you're into the countdown for school--already!! Hope you've found some fun times for the summer.

Back later.

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

bite your tongue!!!

__________________
Judy
Goal = <135, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Never give up. Never never never never give up -- Winston Churchill

Sorry, Judy. Back to your regularly scheduled VACATION!!!

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Hi Gang!

Well, we got the news yesterday that it may be two weeks until we move. Dh is busy packing as I type. Floor is drying from 5 coats of polyurethane. Starting Tuesday painters paint last room interior, exterior, tilers tile, plumbers plumb, carpenters carpent, things will move right along. The kitchen cabinets are in, but we ran into a snag with the counters. I picked the most expensive corian, so we had to go back to square one. Oh well. A trip to Penneys today netted drapes for front wondow, puddling sheers for the sliders, blinds for the master bedroom, and ideas for roman shades which I will make for dh's study.

Been sick on and off (mostly on) for five weeks or so. It's not serious. Just life.

Possible interview at a church in the area for an interim. I'm preaching here twice in August. I look forward to that. It's always nice to get paid for something. Especially if it's something you enjoy.

I'm following along and lurking as we go.
Love you all!
Peg

__________________
"Live the questions and some day you will live along into the answers."
Rainer Marie Rilke

Atkins since 2003
5'8" 206.4/197/175
65 years young

Good grief, Peg, are you getting whiplash from all the changes in dates for this move? The last time I asked, I think you said it might be September.

This is my last real week of vacation. I have a dress to finish sewing. I guess that's going to be my last project for the summer. I hope to finish it tomorrow........

__________________
Judy
Goal = <135, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Never give up. Never never never never give up -- Winston Churchill

This weather is insane! I sure hope you guys aren't going through this because it's very scary. Fires...everywhere...fires. At 6:30 tonight we had to turn the lights on because it was so dark. The smoke has covered the sun and all there is, is a red circle under the smoke. It's very hard to breathe. One town 50 miles away has been totally evacuated. Last night busses went in and took out 2300 people. The town is almost surrounded in fired. On the other side of us there is also evacuation of about 500 people. I told dh that I don't think it's over by a long shot. Everything is sooooo dry. I've lived in this area for almost 35 years and it's never been too hot to sit outside. Now it is. It doesn't even cool down at night so we can enjoy sitting outside. All doors and windows are shut to keep the cool air in. If this is global warming....they can keep it.

On the bright side....my neice is a total sweetheart. We figured it out and she was 3 the last time I saw her. Her mom left my brother on labour day weekend in 1977. So that was 32 years ago. She's the spitting image of me...kind of spooky. We all sat in the park for 5 1/2 hours talking and talking. I really didn't want to let her go. lol I know that we won't be letting another 30+ years go by before we're together again. I did feel sorry for her in this heat. She's 6 months pregnant with her first baby and the heat is so hard on her seeing as she's from Vancouver and they don't have heat like this. I could go on and on...can you tell I'm still excited about seeing her? lol

Barb: That sounds like the kind of vacation I would love and need to have. Nothing but books and water to enjoy. *sigh* My dream vacation.

Judy: Ahhh, sorry the summer went so fast for you. Our kids still have another month off but I bet there are a lot of parents that wish they were going back to school sooner.

Peg: Well that's just crappy that you haven't been feeling well. Hope it goes away soon. You're sure going to enjoy that new house!

Shell: I know you will be careful and hydrate while walking/running but I just wanted to remind you. It's impossible to walk outside here...way too smoky. Can you believe I'm almost wishing for fall?

I'm off to have a long soak in a cool tub...talk to you all tomorrow.

__________________
Donna
238.5/173.4/150
I will see my goal weight again

Hi all, Happy August!

(I can't believe it's really August already - we had such a wet (and cool) Spring and Summer so far that it hardly seems like it could possibly be August)...

Peg, Wow, wow, wow on the move - it suddenly seems so close - this is very exciting! We have been building for about 7 weeks now and they are right on track to get the slab poured this week (there was so much to get set before that, you could have imagined!)... the framing will start a week from today - I'll start to post pics if people are interested... not much to show at this point except a lot of moved earth and the fottings for the slab.

Donna, what a wonderful experience to have had with your niece - what a blessing that you two had this wonderful chance to meet (again) and get to know each other and I LOVE that she resembles you - that is just so neat!!

Barb, which lake were you on? And a vacation sailing and reading DOES sound divine! Any book suggestions for us?

Shelley, thanks for starting the August thread and how IS the running coming? I am seriously considering a walk this morning - I walked this weekend with my mom and niece who were visiting with Dad from NJ - it is always much better for me with company!

Judy, your fb pic with the fishing boots is such a striking one that it's an image I find I'm associating with 'relax' - thanks for that! And good for you on the sewing! I am working on a quilted runner for my Leadership tribe - they had all sent me cloth (what a small fiasco - 22 different colors, materials, but it'll be creative, that's for sure - and frankly, there are no colors that don't go with black, so that's the base)... I find it a lot harder to sew in the summer when it's warm out and I want to be outside - I don't know why but sewing was always a cool day activity for me!

so I have no idea how the low carbing is really going because I have a cheap old scale that bounces me back and forth between 170 - 160 and everywhere in-between. I suspect I'm at about 165 or so, but will have a much better handle on it when the new scale I purchased from Amazon (love them) comes in. That should be soon. I'm doing only 'fair' on the eating side of things, last week with family here made that tough, but this week, so far is going quite well. Next step is to get my a$$ out there and walk... <<sigh>> sure wish I could find something that moves me that I actually liked to do...

Hope Brenda and Alida are doing fine!

XOXOXOX to all.....

__________________
Hugs, Rachel



Quien canta, sus males espanta... ("She who sings frightens away her ills") Miguel de Cervantes

Rachel, have you ever tried yoga? I started it about a year and a half ago. I absolutely love it. I take a true Ashtanga class. It is done is a warm room and believe me you are sweaty when you finish. I am most proud of almost conquering a head stand. I still do it close to the wall in case I over balance. I don't want to fall over backwards. Along with the yoga, I try to walk as often as possible. A big dog that walks fairly fast is a great partner. Lexie, my Golden Retriever, and I generally try to do about 3 miles. Unless it is unbearably hot or raining we go late in the afternoon. That, I have found, is a great way to work off work stress. While we walk, I listen to novels on the IPOD. A good novel in a great enticement to get me out of the house. That's become my main method of keeping up with new best sellers. I love the ability to multitask -- exercise, "read", and relieve stress.

__________________
Judy
Goal = <135, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Never give up. Never never never never give up -- Winston Churchill

Hello and good-bye from me again! I'm off to Colorado this morning for the annual BBQ competition in Dillon. My sisters (and friends) have the only All-Girls BBQ team. So far anyway. I'll be pulling pork butts by this time tomorrow. The BBQ days are Friday and Saturday.

Rachel, the most worthy book I read is by Paul Hawken, Blessed Unrest. It's the history of the "underground" movement since the 60s of individuals and groups dedicated to saving the planet. Environmentalists, small economists, social justice activists, etc. Fascinating and inspiring.

Donna, you'll be in my thoughts! Wow, I hope the fire gets under control soon. So happy to hear about your reconnection with your niece.

So, I'd better finish packing. I'll probably get online in Colorado sometime this week.

Take care of you!

__________________
Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

g'morning all...

it is hot and sticky in MA this morning and after a bowl of Maggie's cereal with blueberries, I'm heading up to the house site to move rocks! It is very interesting going "green", so to speak - the people from the LEED certification visit regularly to check everything. When we started this we thought green would mean getting all non-VOC paints and stains, ecologically friendly counters, roofing, flooring, etc... but it is so, so, so much more and so much more involved! LEED certification is more common in schools, hospitals and public and private corporate=type buildings - residential LEED certification is, apparently, rarer...http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=1095 (just check out the table of contents!)...

Big news for me and low carb... got the new scale (WW by Conair - I like theirs best) yesterday afternoon and this morning did my first official weigh-in: 161 pounds! So now at least I have a baseline - and it certainly looks nicer than 170!

Barb, THANK YOU for introducing me to Blessed Unrest - it looks fantastic - I have put it on my Amazon wishlist.... and I remember fondly your BBQ team with your big smiles and red aprons - I'm looking forward to hearing about this year's exploits and seeing the pictures!

Judy... I have never tried yoga and it seems I'm the only person in the country who hasn't... I really should find a place nearby where I can try this. I have walked in the past because it was cheap (no dues to trudge along the country's roadsides!) and I could actually do it without too much shame. I need to get back to my ipod and the books. You remind me that that really worked for me.... a mystery by Lisa Scottoline and I would walk an extra mile to get to the end of a good chapter! Thanks for that!

Anyway - as mentioned the big news for me is the weigh-in at 161... I suspect that the pounds will drop significantly more slowly now but that's ok - I didn't like being in the dark.

__________________
Hugs, Rachel



Quien canta, sus males espanta... ("She who sings frightens away her ills") Miguel de Cervantes

Rachel, Yoga is probably not the cheapest form of exercise. In some places, the classes are quite expensive. I had the opportunity to join a health club with a lower (corporate) rate than I pay at the yoga studio. After considering a number of factors though, I decided that I would stay with my current instructor in a facility devoted only to yoga. There's something about free weights dropping on the floor above you and the beating base vibrating the walls from a zumba class next door that detracts from the calmness of yoga. I think it may truly be a case of "you get what you pay for." For me, it is worth it. In the last year, I've decided to make myself a priority. The two things that I have done to make my life less stressed are to go to yoga and to hire a housekeeper. Dang, I'm worth it!

__________________
Judy
Goal = <135, Current status = RIGHT ON TARGET!
Never give up. Never never never never give up -- Winston Churchill

flying by...
Rach...just my 2 pennies re: exercise.
Unlike, Judy, I go first thing, and I mean, first thing in the morning, especially in our heat and humidity. I get up at 0500, grab a quick half mug of coffee and drink a bottle of water, then I'm out the door by 0600-0615(I'd go at 0530, but it's still dark and there's a stinkin'[no pun intended] skunk in our n-hood that likes to take the same sidewalk I do.)
Several other reasons for going early, are, I believe it amps up your metabolism for the day. I've read several articles to that effect; then a few say wait mid day to let your muscles and joints get looser. And, the pavement is just to dang hot by the end of the day; I don't like for my feet to feel like they are on fire! LOL!
I do about 8-10 minutes of stretching before I hit the street, and then walk a quarter mile *cool down*, especially now that I'm running.

Between Judy and my daughter touting the benefits of yoga, I'm thinkin' I might have to give it a try one of these days.

for updates on my C25K running plan, I've started a blog(private) here on LCE. If I did it right, I think I have all of you added, so you should be able to read it if you want.

happy trails.....

__________________
Shelley


Visit Kassie's Korner


"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
--Antoine de Saint Exupery

I’m SOONER born,
And SOONER bred,
And when I die,
I’ll be SOONER dead!
GO SOONERS!
I be ready for some football!

One little walker-runner Dude for every 10 miles!

Today is a little cooler, thank heavens. The town that is evacuated had backfires lit last night to try and stop the fire from going into the town. Last word is that it looks like it might be working. We've had a lot of wind today too so the smoke is finally leaving. We really needed this repreve from the heat...even my girls are happier.

Barb: Just when did you find time to work? I don't think I know of anyone else who's on the go like you are. Enjoy!

Rachel: Way to go on the 9 lb. loss! Wish it was me. lol It's been far too hot to even cook here so I've been living on salad and find that I don't lose when I do that. Not enough protein I think. Maybe tonight I will have a decent meal. At least I'm not gaining.

Judy: I've considered yoga...but the thought of my butt up in the air for all to see made me change my mind.lol I'm a walker and as soon as this heat decides to become bearable I'll be outside again.

Shelley: When is the big race with your uncle? If I'm right it's not too far off.

I've had modum problems at work which is why I haven't been checking in. The modum bit the dust on Friday and I told the boss but he said I worry too much and he was sure it would be okay on Tuesday (Mon. was a holiday). Fine...it's his problem. Of course Tuesday it didn't work. He went to town for another one (2 hours round trip) and came back with the wrong on. Didn't even buy the cords needed to attached the "wrong" one. So, he headed back to town to get the proper one. Four hours later he finally got the proper one. Men...you should never send a man to buy something! So, this morning I'm finally able to get on the internet. I hate not being able to get on and check with my friends.

Seeing as I was 2 days without internet access I guess I should get back to work and get caught up. Talk to you all soon.

__________________
Donna
238.5/173.4/150
I will see my goal weight again

Guys, I am so impressed with all of you. Good for you Judy for making yourself a priority!! So glad!! Also, good for you Rach! Wow! It will go fast once the framing is done. It did for us. It is all the finishing stuff that takes more time than anything else.

Donna: We are well acquainted with fires around here in Southern Calif. Sorry they are happening with you. Last year we had to keep the windows closed because of the fires. They always happen around here during the summer, or hot weather. So, it is really terrible.

She: How wonderful that you are doing well.

Because I've been sick, I've lost 10 pounds. I'm so glad. I have started eating less at the lunch here at the home.

Love, Peg

__________________
"Live the questions and some day you will live along into the answers."
Rainer Marie Rilke

Atkins since 2003
5'8" 206.4/197/175
65 years young